Data & Research

The goals and designs of defined contribution (DC) plans are evolving as defined benefit (DB) plans are increasingly replaced.

 Despite being more concerned than men about the potential risks they face in retirement, fewer women complete basic retirement planning activities.  

Risk parity is an alternative form of portfolio management that allocates capital based on the underlying risk of asset classes, rather than anticipated returns.

Despite being younger than others, on average, workers at tax-exempt health care organizations have saved more for retirement ($50,000 vs. $33,000).

Most investors ages 21 to 50 remain focused on saving for retirement, according to an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of T. Rowe Price.

 Risk management remains top of mind as registered investment advisers (RIAs) pursue a strategic mix of products.   

 Using the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS’s) required minimum distributions (RMD) as a withdrawal strategy does almost as well as traditional options and outperforms the 4% rule.  

 While more than half of plan sponsors offer target-date funds (TDFs) in defined contribution (DC) plans, only half of them use TDFs as the default.  

 AllianceBernstein has found that whether plan participants consider themselves “active” or “accidental” investors, they give target-date funds (TDFs) praise.   

Only 56% of employees eligible to participate in the annual benefits enrollment period are confident about their decision-making, and many keep the same choices.

Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) companies saw an economic upturn in 2011, with continued increased share value, support among company leaders and better productivity.

The education policy statement (EPS) is an important element of retirement plan fiduciary management, according to a Transamerica Retirement Services white paper.

 The U.S. retirement income system advanced from 10th last year to 9th in the 2012 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index.   

Plan sponsors and fiduciaries can learn from federal court findings in Tussey v. ABB Inc., and should avoid overly detailed investment policy statements (IPS), a white paper asserted.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA) makes the case for automatic enrollment, automatic escalation, company matches, education and advice,...

More companies and participants are putting money into their plans, and at higher rates than in previous years, Plan Sponsor Council of America(PSCA) found.

Transition Boomers—those less than 10 years from retirement—agree that rising health care costs will have the greatest effect on their retirement outlook.

Most advisers believe the American Dream is alive, but that Millennials will have a harder time attaining the economic status of their parents, a study found.

Baby Boomer women are more uncomfortable, worried or concerned than Boomer men about their current and future financial situation, according to AARP.